This invention relates to an air pollution prevention device in general and in particular to a new and novel device for use in combination with an internal combustion engine exhaust system to remove dangerous pollutants from the exhaust.
It is known that air pollution is a very serious problem in virtually every major city in the world having large quantities of automotive vehicles traveling throughout the city in various commercial and personal activities. It is generally believed that a large portion of the air pollution comes from these automotive vehicles and the worst pollutants are believed to be carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides among others. The particulate matter from carbon in exhaust gasses contributes to the well known "Brown Cloud" which can be seen floating above the cities. While it is important to try to remove the particulate matter to minimize the appearance of the "Brown Cloud," it is also very important to diminish and try to eliminate the worst pollutants which can be injurious to a person's health.
In addition it is known that the pollutants floating in the air can react with the sun's rays to form photochemical smog which can also be injurious to the health of the population in the city.
Various types of air pollution prevention devices have been designed as typified by the U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,017, issued Aug. 4, 1981 to Hsi-Chi Chen which mixes water from a collateral water tank with exhaust gas in various chambers to try to minimize dirty smoke and also to eliminate the need for a separate muffler.
A similar type device is taught in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,715, issued on Feb. 5, 1979 to Ho Tung-lung. This invention uses water from a self-contained chamber to dissolve carbides and impurities in the waste gas. The water is also atomized through a Venturi nozzle to disperse into a fog to an evaporation chamber and a releasing chamber. This device, like the device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,017, claims to absorb exhaust noises also, thereby eliminating the need for a conventional muffler.
Another attempt at air pollution elimination is taught in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,219, issued on Oct. 5, 1976 to Ming-Dao Huang. This attempted solution to the basic problem uses a combination of water and a series of filter elements made of a porous plastic material such as polyurethane foam in a central tank area. The inventor also claims to be able to eliminate noise to a great extent and therefore would probably contemplate then the elimination also of the conventional muffler.
Various other attempts have been tried with other combinations as taught in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,979, issued Feb. 27, 1973 to Louis J. Gagliardi. This concept uses a horizontal pipe filled with water which is hung on the rear bumper of a dual-exhaust system. The exhaust then passes through a pair of vertical tubes filled with a filter medium such as charcoal, leather pieces or other materials. An air activated propeller acts to retain the gasses in the filter media.
A combination muffler and a pollution device using baffled chambers in combination with a liquid flux composition for lead trapping is taught in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,019, issued Feb. 16, 1971 to F. J. Lowes. The flux material used is preferably a mixture of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide which are solid materials at room temperature and form liquid compositions on contact with high temperature exhaust gasses in the mufflers.